College: Hawaii Community CollegeProgram: Testing Services

Program Description

Unit Mission:

The mission of The Learning Center (TLC)and Hale Kea Advancement and Testing Center (HKATC) as an academic support program for the college needs to be a responsive one which supports the college’s mission and its academic programs. TLC and HKATC seek to provide services that support and enhance academic development for the college community. These services focus on academic support for an “open door” institution, providing initial student assessment, access to technology, support for successful learning, and testing services.

Unit Description:

Hale Kea Advancement and Testing Center (HKATC) focuses on providing testing services, providing an independent study center with computers and printers, coordinating the use of an electronic classroom, and tutoring in writing and math on the Manono Campus. HKATC is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesdday hours were extended to 7:15 pm during the Fall 2012-Spring 2013 semester. The staff includes: one full time Educational Specialist B (Center Manager), one full time Educational Specialist A (Assistant Manager),and twelve office assistants/tutors.

HKATC services include:

HawCC Placement Testing

Distance Education test proctoring (UH system and Non UH)

Make-up and special testing

General study/computer lab

Tutoring (Writing and Math areas)

Electronic classroom for instruction and college use

Part I. Quantitative Indicators

Overall Program Health: Healthy

Student and Faculty Information

Program Year

10-11

11-12

12-13

1

Annual Unduplicated Student Headcount

4,754

4,424

2

Annual FTE Faculty

126

131

2a

Annual FTE Staff

125

135

3

Annual FTE Student

2,281

2,114

Demand Indicators

Program Year

Demand Health Call

10-11

11-12

12-13

4

Number of placement test sessions administered per year per student FTE

0

0.9

Cautionary

5

Number of Distance Learning tests administered per year per student FTE

Part II. Analysis of the Program

Strengths: Demand for HKATC testing services as evidenced by the following data:

Number of Placement Testing sessions administered per year per student FTE for 2012-2013 was 90%.

Weaknesses:

Number of Distance Learning Test sessions administered per year per student FTE for 2012- 2013 was 105%, placing it in the unhealthy category.

Local campus test proctored per year per student FTE for 2012-2013 was 40%, placing it in the cautionary category.

Continued increase and overwhelming demand for testing services may result in compromising HKATC's resources, services, and facilities, as well as the health and well-being of the professional staff.

Efficiency -- Healthy

Strengths: Efficiency is healthy for HKATC testing services as evidenced by the following:

The number of test sessions administered per FTE testing center staff was 1375, a 13% increase compared to 1212 test sessions from the previous year.

Total testing services expenditure came out to $25.00 to administer each test session for 2012-2013 compared to $26.00 the previous year.

Weaknesses:

Two professional staff must work overtime and come in even when sick to administer testing services. This is especially true at peak times during the semester (mid-term, finals, etc.). Because there are special testing protocols to follow, the responsibility lies heavily on these two staff members. They must also carefully manage the scheduling for testing request since only 20 computers are available for this use. Staff members report high levels of stress and burn out.

Effictiveness -- Healthy

Strengths: Satisfaction measurements using common survey questions given to students received an average of 96% in the Strongly agree- Agree category. Effectiveness is healthy as evidenced by the following data:

The Hours at the Testing Center meet my needs received a rating of 88%

The atmosphere is conducive to testing received a rating of 99%

The services are satisfactory received a rating of 99%

Test were administered in a timely and efficient manner received a rating of 97%

Weaknesses:

Survey question regarding hours at the Testing Center meeting needs received a 6% decrease in ratings of 88% compared to the previous year’s 94%.

Due to lack of adequate staff, phones often go unanswered and students are not always given the help they need.

(See Appendix A for HKATC Testing Data)

(See Appendix B for Testing Rubric)

Other Data

TLC/HKATC will provide an open access computer lab for students.

Overall Health - Cautionary Demand - Healthy

Strengths:

Demand for Center Lab Usage as evidenced by the following data:

31% of TLC students used computers per student contact

84% of HKATC students used computers per student contact

Weaknesses:

Heavy demand for lab usage jeopardized and caused the efficiency health call to drop to an unhealthy score.

Heavy demand leading to accelerated aging of equipment (printers).

Efficiency - Unhealthy

Weaknesses:

Efficiency is unhealthy as evidenced by the following data:

Benchmark set by the data scoring rubric placed the number of TLC students (129) using computers (40) available to score in the unhealthy category.

Benchmark set by the data scoring rubric placed the number of HKATC students (990) using computers (26) available to score in the unhealthy category.

26 computers in the HKATC computer lab are not sufficient to service all of students at the Manono Campus.

Effectiveness - Healthy

Strengths:

CCSSE survey indicated an average mean score of 2.4 rating (somewhat/sometimes) for Frequency, Satisfaction, and Importance of using computer labs.

Weaknesses:

Even with two professional staff members, student workers (including two tutors that do the work of the clerks when not tutoring) HKATC’s Effectiveness has a weakness when it comes to handling the Demand as it escalates. There are issues concerning overcrowding, the cost of printing services, noise level, managing the adjacent electronic classroom, and students needing assistance from staff with technological problems.

We were not able to accomplish majority of this action plan for 2012-2013 AY. Requests for a permanent APT position (currently there is a full-time temporary staff) and another third professional staff position were submitted to the Office of the Vice President for Community Colleges (OVPCC) via VCAA Onishi and the results of the requested positions are still pending. Manono Electronic Classroom, dedicated to instruction, was heavily scheduled for classes and booked for meetings for the 2012-2013 AY.

2. Increase the number of professional staff from two to three.

We were able to increase the number of student workers for coverage, continue opening evening hours two days per week, but no longer weekend testing.

3. Expand evening hours from two days per week to four days per week, easing the burden on the testing room computers.

4. Add Saturday testing.

5. Discontinue use of the Manono Electronic Classroom as class/meeting/presentation room and dedicate it to testing thereby doubling instantly our testing facilities.

Part III. Action Plan

Unit Action Plan #1 aligns to the College's AMP, ILOs, Strategic Plan, and UH system by providing initial student assessment, testing services, access to technology, and support for successful learning. Specifically it focuses on A2.3 by providing COMPASS placement testing so students can get immediate advising and enroll in appropriate classes, A2.4 by providing academic and support services to students to increase graduation or transfer to higher institutions, and A2.5 by expanding Distance Learning support through DE testing for online courses throughout the system. Most important is the funding of the new APT position recommended by CERC so HKATC can provide all of the above services.

2. Support TLC/ HKATC's computer lab demand with financial resources

Unit Action Plan #2 aligns to the College's AMP, ILOs, Strategic Plan, and UH system by providing access to technology and resources to support successful learning. Specifically it focuses on A2.3 by providing computer access where students can develop technology skills, A2.4 by providing academic and support services to students to increase graduation or transfer to higher institutions, and A2.5 by expanding, updating, and replacing instructional enhancements and equipment for Distance Learning and computer support.

Part IV. Resource Implications

Cost Item 1

Fund permanent APT Band A position Personnel $32,000

HKATC is extremely overextended with increasing testing demands combined with increasing computer usage. Administering placement, distance ed, and local campus testing (90%, 105%, and 40% respectively) while managing 25,732 students working in the computer lab justifies establishing another APT position. This position is critical to the operations of HKATC in meeting the needs of faculty, students,and the community. Moreover, there are no other options to deliver the services and resources provided by HKATC. This cost item #1 is a budget priority as justified in this program review and as recommended by the CERC reviewers in 2012.

Cost Item 2

Fund budget for replacing old computers, printers, a printing system for charging for printing, and updating new programs and software

Equipment $12,400

Funding for replacing old computers/printers and installing a printing system for charging for printing is crucial in providing computer lab access and resources for the students, faculty, and staff on the Manono Campus. Approximately 30,409 student contacts were recorded for 2012-2013 because HKATC is the only place on the Manono campus that provides computer lab access and free printing for all students. This high volume and usage creates wear and tear on the equipment, adds to the cost of toners, paper, and printing supplies. Approximately $12,400 is needed to fund Cost Item 2.